This relates to measuring containers of the type having a measuring head, a storage container and a modified pour-spout which serves to accurately measure discrete amounts of liquid poured out from the pour-spout.
Such measuring devices were disclosed and claimed in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,859, issued Mar. 21, 1978, 4,298,038,issued Nov. 3, 1981, and 4,646,948, issued Mar. 3, 1987.
The measuring devices of the designs disclosed in the foregoing patents function to measure a range of volumes of stored fluid by a procedure in which the measuring head is filled from the storage container, and by use of a scale on the measuring head, the user can determine the proper amount of fluid to be dispensed. The vessel is then tilted back, causing the excess fluid in the measuring head to be returned to the storage container.
In the practice of using measuring devices of the type described, it is often necessary to dispense a preselected measured volume of fluid ounces.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to improve and simplify measuring devices of the type described for repeatedly dispensing a discrete measured amount of fluid.
This and other objects are achieved in a measuring vessel having a storage container, a measuring head, a pour-out spout, and a modified pour-spout in which a passage or opening at a preselected position in the wall between the measuring head and the modified pour-spout acts as an automatic drainback from the measuring head. Thus, during the measuring operation, the container is tilted to overfill the measuring head, and then returned to an upright position. Drainback of fluid from the measuring head into the storage vessel occurs until the exact level is achieved in the measuring head which will correspond to the exact volume each selected container is designed to dispense through its pour-out spout. It is contemplated that one may have a series of containers, each of which is designed to dispense a preselected measured volume of fluid.
In each case, an opening or passage, in accordance with the present invention, is molded into the plastic wall between the measuring vessel and the modified pour-spout at a preselected position to cause drainback from the measuring vessel when the fluid level in the latter reaches the exact measured amount which the vessel was designed to dispense. The vessel is then tipped forward, and the measured quantity of liquid is dispensed from the measuring head through the regular pour-out spout in the manner of containers disclosed in my prior patents supra.
One of the embodiments shown by way of illustration includes a handle molded into the body of the primary container.
Another embodiment, which excludes the handle, includes a filler opening vertically aligned with the modified pour-spout, which is closed by a snap-on closure when the initial filling process has been completed.
The device of the present invention has the advantage of greatly simplifying the step of repeatedly dispensing a preselected, premeasured volume of liquid, eliminating the necessity for visual measurement of the amount dispensed or poured back into the measuring head at each dispensing step.
This, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from a study of the detailed description of the invention hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings.